Fire-escape



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. T.. GUTHRIE.

FIRE ESCAPE.l

l Nrrnn STATES ArnNr Fringe.

JAMESIT. GUTHRIE, OF LEESBURG, OHIO.

HRB-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of 'Letters Patent No. 292,803, dated February 5, 1884.

v Application filed October 30, 1383. (h'o model.)

To aZZ whom, it ntay'cmwern.-

` Be itknownl that I, JAMES T. GUTHRIE, of Leesburg, in the county of Highland and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire-Escapes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description ofthe invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art `to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

My invention relates to an improvement in fire-escapes, the object being to providea safe and? rapid means of escape for people of all ages, a further object being to provide an escape which can be utilized as a balcony.

With these ends in view my invention consists in certain features of construction and combinations of parts, as will be hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view of the freescape attached to a building. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the same. Fig. 3 is a transverse section of the rod and sleeve, and Fig. 4 is a modication.

Arepresents a metal rod, bar, or rail, which maybe triangular in cross-section or any other desired angular shape. This rod is provided with the holes h h h, at suitable' distances along the central line of one of the sides of the rod, adapted to receive the bolts b b b. These bolts are securely fastened to the rod A through the holes h h h. They are also shouldered at a suitabledistance from the rod to hold it a short space from the wall, and threaded at the en'd which passes through the wall to receive the nuts n a n.

C represents a metal sleeve that fits the-rod A, adapted to slide on said rod, and provided with an open slot, c, on the side toward the house, to allow the sleeve to be operated without interfering with the fastening-bolts. To this sleeve C the basket Bis attached by means of hinges g g g2, which allow the basket to be swung right and left. These hinges are formed by sockets securely attached to the sleeve, in which pintles are movably secured. The sleeve G is further provided with the screwthreaded boss P', integral with it or securely attached to it, in which is inserted the setscrew S. This set-screw is provided with-a lever `or wheel attached to its head, by which it may be adjusted, and with the swiveled end t, adapted to engage the rod A.

B represents aunetal basket, made as light as is consistent with security, balcony-like in appearance, with an iron rail, L, about the top, a closely-plaited or solid sheet of metal, M, for its bottom. A row of upright balusters, Z, secure the bottom to the rail. This basket is held horizontally in position by the rods?1 r, fastened to the rail at the outer corners,` `and converging into one rod, which is bent to form the pintle of the hinge g, and by the rods r' r fastened at the outer corners of vthe bottom of thebasket, and the rod f fastened to the inner end lof the bottom converging into one rod, which is bent to form the pintle of the hinge g?, 'and by the rod k fastened to the rail at the inner end of the basket, bent to form the pintle of the hinge g. The rod A is further provided with the fixed pulleys O OV at top and bottom, about whichthe rope E passes. This rope or chain E, of suitable size,

is attached to a staple in the upper end of the' sleeve at the front. It passes from thence over the fixed pulley O, at the top of the rod A, thence .down the back of this rod, and aroundl the-xed pulley O at its foot. This rope or vchain shouldV be of sufficient length to extend ahundred feet or more from the building when the basket is at the foot of the rod. The spare rope or chain. when the escape is not in` use, may be coiled about a cylinder or wheel, WV, suitably situated near the foot of the rod A. This cylinder or wheel may be provided with a friction-brake sufficient to hold the basket alone in equilibrium. When the escape is not in use, the basket may be swung" under a window at the right or left of the rod A, to form a balcony.

In ease of fire the escape is operated as follows: The escape being in position under one of the windows of the upper story, secured from sliding down by the rope or chain fastened at the foot of the rod A, the watchman or any person who is at hand unfastens the rope at the foot, leads it a distance from the house, and then lowers and hoists the basket at will, the people at the windows on the immediate right and left of the rod reaching out 'and swinging the basket under their respective windows. Again, the basket being in position under one of the windows of the upper story, and securedjfrom sliding down by the set-screw S, the rope being left unfast-ened at the foot, a person at the window where the basket is, or at the window on the opposite side of the rod, may step into the basket and turn the set-screw sufficient to allow the sleeve to slide slowly, thus lowering himself to the ground 5 or he may, by manipulating the screw, stop at will on the way down and load the basket from the adjacent windows. Still, again, the basket may be left at the foot of the rod, with set-screw loosened. A person at any of the windows adjacent to the rod may now reach out and take hold of the rope at the back of the rod and hoist the basket to his window, step in, and proceed to lower himself, as already explained. If the spare rope be coiled about a cylinder or. wheel provided with a friction-brake, as heretofore suggested, the escape may be kept at a window of the upper story with set-screw loosened, and be adjusted from any of the windows adjacent to the rod by taking hold of the rope, as explained before.

rIhe basket, instead of being constructed to swing from side to side, may be securely attached to the sleeve, as represented in Fig. 4, and be made sufficiently long to reach under two windows, one on each side of the rod, at the same time.

I do not wish to limit myself to the exact construction set forth in the above, but retain the privilege of any legitimate modification.

Having fully described my invention, what Iclaim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is'

l. In a ireescape, the combination, with a rod permanently secured to a building, of an elongated sleeve partly embracing the rod and provided with a basket, and a set-screw passing through the sleeve and adapted to be forced against the rod, substantially as set 4o forth.

2. In a fire-escape, the combination, with a rod permanently secured to a building, of a sleeve having a basket secured thereto, the said sleeve partly embracing the rod and provided with a boss and a set-screw secured in the boss, and adapted to be forced against the rod, substantially as set forth.

3. In a fire-escape, the combination, with a rod attached to a building, of a vertically-mov- 5o able sleeve embracing the rod, and a basket pivotally secured to the sleeve, the said basket adapted to be moved laterally in a horizontal plane, substantially as set forth.

4. In a fire-escape, the combination, with a rod permanently attached to a building, of an elongated sleeve partly embracing said rod and adapted to slide thereon, a basket hinged to said sleeve and adapted to move laterally in a horizontal plane, and braces rigidly secured 6o at their outer ends to the basket and pivotlly secured at their inner ends to the sleeve, substantially as set forth.

5. In a nre-escape, the combination, with a rod attached to a building, of a sleeve tted to slide on said rod, and a basket connected with the sleeve by braces connecting the outer end of the basket with the sleeve at points above and below the basket, substantially as set forth. 7o

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JAMES T. GUTHRIE.

Vitiiesses:

WM. S. HoUGII, Gno. W. HoUGH. 

